Denise Jones Floral Design

05/06/2026

Luxurious wow Hatboxes for all occasions .. this gorgeous one out for delivery today.

19/05/2026

18/05/2026

Post 17 - WARNING ! A Very long post alert for those interested in my 2025 Chelsea floral journey …..

2025 Mon 19th May “The King &I”

After the build was completed, I slept properly for the first time in months on Sunday night !! There was relief, yes — but also something deeper: the quiet moment of realisation that my vision had actually become real.

The image I had carried in my mind, and first sketched in two dimensions, now stood in front of me as a 2.3-metre-tall willow wave installation. It moved from the tallest crest — my “leading wave” — down through a middle swell, and into a smaller shore break cascading forward, all emerging from a floral froth of sea-inspired cut flower meadow boxes to look like planting.

Every single element had intention. Every stem, every placement, every flower, every breath of it was deliberate. Nothing was accidental. Challenges had arisen, of course, but they were solved quickly on site. The integrity of the design remained exactly as I had imagined it.

Built now on an 18-inch high plinth measuring 3 metres wide by 3 metres deep, the installation was designed as a fully immersive 360-degree experience. The willow structures were carefully positioned so that, wherever you stood, the crossing points of the stems formed subtle heart shapes — moments of connection hidden within the structure.

People told me that it had become possibly one of the most photographed pieces in the great pavilion. Visitors, press, influencers, and passers-by were drawn into it. Some said they could “feel the waves,” as though they were inside the movement of the sea itself.

Then came the Royal Visit Monday afternoon I had been invited to remain with my creation

On the Monday afternoon, I was present at my stand however I was NOT part of the official RHS Royal Route. The neighbouring exhibits included Kent Wildlife Seeds and David Austin Roses, which featured the new King’s Rose for Chelsea 2025 they were going to have a visit from His majesty not me! Or so I thought !!

I had even joked the night before about “how to greet the King,” never imagining I would actually need to.

When His Majesty King Charles III arrived, he first visited Kent Wildlife Seeds before moving along the route towards David Austin. I stepped back from my installation and simply observed, choosing not to watch through a phone screen but to take it in fully by my own eyes .

Then everything changed. The King paused. - He looked across the walkway directly towards my exhibit.

At first I assumed it was a passing glance — but instead of continuing, he stopped. Then, unexpectedly, he stepped off the planned route and walked directly towards me.

It was completely surreal. My mind went still and loud at the same time.

He approached with no formal introduction, simply an outstretched hand and the words:

“And you are? Do you own a nursery?”

I replied, following royal protocol, greeting him correctly , the curtsy, then introducing myself as a floral designer, teacher, and demonstrator based in Weymouth — and explained that I did not own a nursery.

He then turned his attention to the installation. He said it was beautiful and what had been my inspiration so I explained the wellness in nature concept for good mental health and my connection with my own sea swimming and my floral workshops I teach with an element linked to wellness . He then asked …

“The willow structures are wonderful— who made them for you?”

And I said the truth.

That I had made them myself.That I had not commissioned them.That I had booked a one day workshop private lesson in willow work, and then taken on this entire structure from that point forward.

His response was immediate curiosity:“How many attempts did it take?” And I remember replying, very simply:It was one attempt.
Just one? I explained that it was all or nothing — that I only had time to create it once, and it had to work. It had to be the best I could make it in that moment. There was no second version, no rehearsal, no fallback.

His reaction was warm and surprised, and he remarked positively on the achievement.

What struck me most was not formality, but ease. The conversation felt entirely human — natural, inquisitive, grounded. There was no sense of distance, only genuine interest in the work itself and how it had been made.

I had expected questions about plant varieties or technical detail, but instead he was drawn to the structure, the arrangement, and the feeling of the piece. I explained that all the flowers were cut stems arranged without floral foam, using chicken wire troughs filled with water to support the design.

Before moving on, he said he would tell his wife, as she would “absolutely love it.”

Then he smiled, nodded, and continued on towards the next stand.

I was left standing in complete disbelief — utterly stunned — doing a small, involuntary moment of joy in place, trying to process what had just happened.

For me, the installation had always been about emotion. About drawing people in. About making them feel something beyond the flowers themselves.

So to have the King pause, engage with it, and respond to it so directly felt like a profound form of recognition — not just of the work, but of the intention behind it.

If I were to receive any medal that would be a bonus as when I create it’s not all about the medal or the first placement it’s about being authentic to yourself to your ideas and what inspires you creating it to your best and to me that’s the win, meeting the King was the icing on the cake and a medal well maybe ??

That evening, I remained for the Gala Preview. Visitors moved through the pavilion with champagne and canapés, many using the willow heart-formed waves as a backdrop for photographs. Some even stepped into the installation itself to capture images from within it — fully immersed in the experience.

By the end of the day, I left completely exhausted, but emotionally lifted. The day had carried me from press attention, to creative fulfilment, to Royal engagement, to public connection.

And as I walked away that night, I realised something simple and lasting:

The greatest recognition is not status or medals — it is when your work is seen, felt, and understood. tune in Tues for medal results

17/05/2026

🌿 POST 16 – Chelsea Floral Creating Days 1 & 2
Chelsea Gold Reflection | RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025
Two build days… and things didn’t go to plan (through no fault of my own).

I booked the earliest parking at Battersea Park for 7.30am, carefully planned every hour right through to a 9pm deadline, aiming to finish early evening and refine details calmly.

But both Day 1 and Day 2 started nearly 2 hours late. By the time I placed my first stem, I was already behind.

Sunday was even harder. Despite rebooking parking, gates were closed for a park run, shuttle buses were stuck, and we were redirected to the wrong car park. Another 2-hour delay before even reaching my stand.

What should have been calm, immersive making time became a race against the clock.

Some flowers had suffered in transport heat, plant passport checks caused more losses, and I had to adapt constantly. I worked with what remained — h**p rope, moss, instinct — reshaping the design around structural limits and a plinth.

By Sunday lunchtime I submitted revised plans and adjustments. Everything had to shift quickly.

There were moments of doubt and exhaustion, even being told at 8pm my exhibit might not be judged. But I had written confirmation earlier, so I chose to keep going.

I reminded myself: I earned my place here. I just needed to finish and stay true to the vision — not the medal, but the feeling, sustainability, and impact of the piece.

In the chaos, there was kindness too — fellow exhibitors and another exhibitors mentor who simply said to me :
“You’ve got this. Keep going.”

By 8.20pm it was tools down. A sprint to clear and pack. We left just before 8.50pm, exhausted and drained… and then a small Chelsea miracle — our shuttle driver came back to collect us.

Driving away, I had nothing left… except hope. Tomorrow would bring judging and royal visits. But for now, I had made it through. It looked exactly like my vision & I was super proud of myself

16/05/2026

Post 15- Chelsea Gold Winner 2025 – yesterday this time last year ……
The Chelsea Journey story
friday: Build & Flower Collection
Eeeek… another obstacle.

This whole journey has felt like climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with no training—exhilarating, but relentless.

We arrived ready to build… but my 3m x 3m “grass” space? Gone. Completely filled with buckets of Protea.

After a trip to the office, they cleared it… revealing a raised plinth covered in black hessian.

Not grass. Not immersive. Not the design I’d planned.

Panic.

My entire piece was designed to be grounded—mechanics hidden, moss blending, everything feeling naturally rooted. Now I had wood, height, and everything exposed.

Crisis mode kicked in.

“I’ve got this.”

Off went my partner for screws and tools while I re-engineered everything—re-weaving willow, reshaping, disguising, adapting. Hours of problem-solving until it finally felt intentional again.

Exhausted… but still going.

Then flower collection.

A visit to Southeast Flowers weeks before (with inspiration from The Flower Circus) gave me confidence. I chose David Austin Rose Phoebe—coral-peach perfection—and David Austin Rose Constance in soft blush.

With their incredible support, we left with 38 buckets of flowers, foliage, and plants—plus a trolley to get it all back.

And off we went… back to Chelsea.

Still standing. Still adapting. Still creating.

16/05/2026

Post 15 – Chelsea Gold Winner 2025: The Journey�Thursday – Mechanics Build & Flower Collection
Eeeeek… not another obstacle!!
Honestly, this whole journey has felt like trekking up Kilimanjaro with no training or equipment. Exhilarating… but completely relentless at times.
We arrived on site, full of excitement, ready for our booked drop-off. The boys (my three willow waves) and all our equipment were packed and ready to go… but—where was my space?
I stood exactly where my 3m x 3m patch of grass should have been… except it wasn’t grass. It was filled—completely—with buckets and buckets of South African proteas. Beautiful, yes… but in that moment, my anxiety went through the roof.
Back to the allocations office I went.
Eventually, the marquee manager arrived and asked for the proteas to be moved. As they cleared, something unexpected appeared… a wooden plinth, covered in black hessian, raised about a foot and a half off the ground.
“There you go—that’s your space.”
I was stunned.
A plinth? Why a plinth?
I explained (again) that I had clarified multiple times that my exhibit would be staged on grass. My entire design had been created to sit low, immersive—moss blending into the ground, everything appearing as if it was naturally emerging, rooted, alive.
This… changed everything.
Panic mode.
My mechanics had been designed to be hammered into the ground—hidden, secure, invisible. Now I was working on wood. The height exposed the underside of the willow. The black hessian completely jarred with the feel of the piece.
But… crisis mode kicked in.
“I’ve got this. I’m good in a crisis. I can do this.”
I sent my partner off to find screws, hooks, a staple gun—anything we could use to anchor into the plinth. Then I got to work.
Re-engineering. Re-weaving. Problem-solving.
I spent hours adding extra willow—thankfully I had brought green and white—to refine and disguise the exposed underside, filling every gap until it felt intentional again.
Exhausted already… but still going.

Then it was time to collect the flowers.
A few weeks earlier, I’d been invited to a pod day at Southeast Flowers, where I watched incredible demonstrations by The Flower Circus and The One and Only Morgan. That visit gave me so much confidence.
I fell in love with David Austin’s new rose Phoebe—those coral-to-peach tones are just perfection—and also chose Constance, a beautifully soft blush.
The team at Southeast Flowers were amazing. Truly. Their guidance, patience, and understanding—especially with the sheer scale of what I needed—was invaluable. They helped with quantities, planning, and conditioning.
We left with 38 buckets filled with flowers and foliage… plus trays of plants! They even lent us a stacked trolley so we could unload easily at the other end.
And then… off we went. Back to Chelsea.

Still standing. Still adapting. Still creating. flower show

16/05/2026

Post 14 – This Time Last Year… Chelsea Gold Winner 2025 | The Journey
This time last year… I was as ready as I was ever going to be.
Van packed, nerves buzzing, heart full — we set off for RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025.
After one last trip to my Somerset willow grower for those final strands of white willow, I headed back to Weymouth. A quick haircut (well… two inches shorter than planned 😅), a little boost of confidence with my new red and gold-rimmed glasses — because if you’re going to Chelsea, you’ve got to look the part!
There were final willow swirls to complete, using a borrowed crochet hook to pull everything through…One last sunset on Chesil Beach. A quiet moment before everything changed.
I totted up my GoFundMe page, overwhelmed by the kindness of friends, family, acquaintances — and even strangers — supporting not just me, but my belief in floristry for wellbeing.
Then it was the final pieces: collected and packed and tidied up
Brochures ✔️
Business cards ✔️
Badges ✔️
Workspace cleared ✔️
“The willow boys” loaded into the van ✔️ (with huge thanks to Little Halstock for the van support!)
Paperwork checked… and checked again (and again…).
Somehow, I slept.
5am — we were up and on the road.
Next stop: London.
To unload the boys and
To collect flowers from then it’s time
To build something I’d been carrying in my heart for so long. Look out next post 15 will be flower collection drop off and the start of mechanics and flowering !!
Excited.
Petrified.
Ready.
And along the way… the messages. The encouragement. The belief from others when I needed it most.
This was the beginning.
✨
FromWeymouthToChelsea

12/05/2026

Post 12 - Chelsea gold 2025 journey video taken at 5 weeks to go last year I can’t believe I looked so calm ha ha I was willowing the smallest willow wave but because of the changes of direction of the shape of form that I wanted it was super difficult .. I keep saying we this which is referring to me and the the boys ie willow waves I tended to talk I. The third party to motivate myself - lol in the interim of few weeks left I then had to plough through masses to f forms paperwork emails etc , as well as keep on top of checking the fund raising as well as working a day job for Dorset Council, as well as looking after my granddaughter Thursday evenings and all day on a Friday , aswell as keeping the main flower business orders ticking along . However at three weeks to go I no longer too on any extra gift or funeral work and I’d already planned not to take on any more when it gets to two weeks to go. The paperwork was huge here’s just part of the list 1) site inductions , 2)vehicle access to site booking and reservation service, 3)parking off site and book shuttle service, 4)health and safety double check risk assessment/ ppe/certified manual handling and working at height, purchasing new ppe. Checking method statement and risk assessments/first aid kit 5)scrutinising Chejsea map for logistics for WC. Catering , accessibility Permissions Checking checking checking and loads more emails and. Trip to to chat with amazing wholesalers in Kent to final decide gg

11/05/2026

POST 12 — Chelsea Flower Show 2025 Journey: GOLD MEDAL WINNER

One of the turning points in my Chelsea journey came when everything expanded—literally and creatively.

I was designing three large-scale willow waves, each growing to around 2.5 metres tall, and it became clear that this work needed room to breathe. What unfolded next was something I’ll always be grateful for. The team at Baby Birds Nest reached out after seeing me share the process on Instagram and offered me their warehouse space… and it was everything I didn’t even realise I needed.

Suddenly, I had height, scale, freedom—and 24-hour access. I could step into the space at any time of day or night and just create. The willow began to move in the way I had imagined, the curves becoming more expressive with every hour I spent there. It allowed the work to evolve naturally, without restriction.

And what made it even more special was the energy around it. People from within the business would pop in as I worked—curious, encouraging, interested. They became the very first to see the waves take shape, to witness those early stages where an idea starts to become something real. There was something incredibly grounding about that… not creating in isolation, but being gently held within a space where others could see, feel, and connect with the process.

That space didn’t just house the work—it elevated it. It gave me the freedom to think bigger, to push further, and to trust what was unfolding.

When I look back at the journey to that Gold Medal, this was one of those moments where everything aligned—not by force, but through openness, connection, and people showing up at exactly the right time.

Sometimes it’s not just about what you create… but where you’re held while you’re creating it.

11/05/2026

POST 11 – Chelsea Gold 2025 Journey continued

Willow sourcing / Willow Prep/ Willow Lesson

And then came the part that still makes me smile…as the entire design relied on giant woven willow waves — some reaching up to 2.3 metres, the one small issue, ,I didn’t actually know how to weave willow properly. I’d made a small piece years ago… and a hare (with a lot of supervision). And somehow, from that, I had convinced myself I could create something monumental.

Ambitious? Probably.
Ridiculous? Possibly.
Inspired? Definitely.

So I went back to the beginning. I travelled to the Somerset Levels to visit Somerset Willow Growers, slightly overwhelmed but completely determined. I asked everything — what willow to use, how long to soak it, how to shape it, whether this idea even had a chance of working. The owner was incredible — patient, generous, and genuinely enthusiastic. He shared his knowledge so openly, showed me around, and pointed me towards several makers, strongly recommending one in particular.

So I purchased some willow, drove down the road and then I got in touch straight away with Kim Creswell of Goldberry Herbs in Sherborne, she was so lovely. We spoke, and she fitted me in quickly — because suddenly, time really mattered.

Next flower prep with the Green willow needing soaking roughly a day per foot.

And some of my lengths were over 11 feet., meant if I didn’t act fast, I simply wouldn’t have the material ready in time, so the big waterproof was made and installed and in the willow went, then next I booked a workshop with Kim .

One day. - That was all I had to learn enough to build three huge sculptural waves.

I arrived with a metal frame, sketches, and a head full of ideas., Kim was patient and enthusiastic about her craft, but it was all about feeling it. So what I learnt that day wasn’t just technique, It was something much more instinctive: You have to feel the willow.